College basketball: Cleveland State rebounds from loss to Green Bay to hammer Milwaukee

Experience a humbling loss to Green Bay. Rebound with a tidy performance against Milwaukee.
Cleveland State duplicated one of its road feats Feb. 22 at the Wolstein Center.
The Vikings smacked Milwaukee, 74-50, on their own court, a triumph that keeps them tied with Valparaiso for second place in the Horizon League. The convincing victory followed a 68-54 home loss to league-leading Green Bay on Feb. 15.
Split results against the Wisconsin teams represent a 2014 theme for the Vikings (19-10, 10-4 Horizon League). They fell to Green Bay, 66-55, before thumping Milwaukee, 77-49, on a two-game trek that opened league play in early January.
“This was a big week for us,” Cleveland State junior guard Charlie Lee said. “We wanted to bounce back from that Green Bay game and set a tone for this game. I think we did that.”
Given a week to ponder their second loss to Green Bay — and to stage some spirited practices — Cleveland State responded with one of its best performances.
Signs the Vikings, who have won eight of their last nine games, are primed for a strong ending:
-- Cleveland State held Milwaukee to 19.2 percent shooting in the first half. The Panthers (16-12, 6-8) had a stretch where they went 8:55 without a field goal. The Vikings led, 31-15, at halftime and held the Panthers 21 points below their season scoring average.
“We played better defense,” Cleveland State coach Gary Waters said. “We have been making games be offense-to-offense and anyone can come out of that being successful. When we play our defense, it’s hard for a team to stay with us.”
-- Sophomore guard Bryn Forbes is healthy again. Forbes, the Vikings’ leading scorer, missed the second Green Bay game because of a stomach virus. Forbes spent time in the hospital and lost six pounds. He slowly regained his strength as this past week progressed.
“It was fun to be back out there,” he said. “I missed it.”
-- The offense is demonstrating balance. Lee, a Milwaukee native, scored a game-high 14 points and hit four 3-pointers in the second half. Forbes and sophomore forward Anton Grady each scored 12 points, Jon Harris had 10 and three other Vikings contributed at least six.
The Vikings have two regular-season games remaining, beginning Feb. 25 with their home finale against Youngstown State. The Penguins stunned the Vikings, 67-66, on Jan. 13 in Youngstown. Four days later, Cleveland State visits Valparaiso in a game that could determine the No. 2 seed for next month’s Horizon League Tournament. Green Bay has clinched the No. 1 seed, meaning the Phoenix will host the quarterfinals, semifinals and final if they win their semifinal.
“It doesn’t matter where the tournament is at,” Waters said. “It’s going to be tough no matter where it’s at and I think our guys will be ready to play.”
Two Vikings missed the Milwaukee game, including Villa Angela-St. Joseph graduate Demonte Flannigan, a freshman forward who suffered a finger injury in the pregame shootaround. Waters called the injury a bruise. Junior center Ismalia Dauda didn’t play because of a death in his family.
Kyle Kelm led Milwaukee with 13 points. The Panthers played without leading scorer Aaron Taylor, who missed the game because of a suspension stemming from a violation of team rules. Taylor, a guard, averages 14.3 points per game.

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